UAVs continue to increase in capability and applications. Transporting and launching small, fragile UAVs can be tedious and time consuming to setup and launch in certain environments. Transport, setup and launch can be extremely challenging in remote covert locations or from a moving platform.
UAVs need to be transported without damaging their fragile structures and time is needed to prepare for flight and launch. Launching UAVs becomes difficult when launching from remote covert locations in harsh environments. Also, UAV's and existing rail type launch systems are not designed to handle prolonged prelaunch exposure in harsh environments. Launching a UAV from a covert underwater platform, moving or not moving, is one example of a harsh environment.
Mobile land vehicles operating in the harsh environments do not currently carry rapid, ready to launch UAV systems or utilize them as a forward scout that are instantly deployed from inside their vehicles. This becomes a particular problem in urban environment where snipers or RPGs await an ambush on roof tops.
Autonomous boats patrolling the perimeter of an anchored ship currently have no method to put a UAV in the air to extend an aerial eye beyond the perimeter and on inbound traffic.
Currently UAVs are launched from moving and fixed platforms. Small UAVs can be launched by hand. The launchers used for moving and fixed platforms are mostly rail type catapults that take time to setup, while the rail and UAV are fully exposed to the environment. Hand launching needs a man to physically throw the small UAV into the air, which might not be an option under fire or in a rapidly moving vehicle. There are some specialty launchers specifically designed to launch UAVs from underwater but they cannot be used universally for any other application.
In addition, as demand for remote autonomous operations increases, it becomes difficult and expensive to deliver UAVs to a final covert launch position. The endurance of small UAVs is limited by the battery supply they can carry. Further, current launch techniques of UAVs is typically either a manned operation or requires set-up of a rail type launch system. In the case of manned UAV launch, operators position themselves at the final launch point and release the UAV. This creates a situation of putting humans in harm's way and potentially losing the advantage of surprise.